Nintendo has announced a new Mario Party game for Nintendo 3DS, due out this winter.

While the standard board and minigame gameplay of previous titles will still be the basis of the game, this time around the seven different boards will have a much greater impact on the events of each round.

On one such board you'll apparently be tasked with collecting a variety of items to both interfere with opponents and progress, while another will see you collect boosts that act as dice multiplyers, adding a tactical element as you decide when to play them. A third will test both your luck and nerve as you move your character around the board, deciding after each round whether to hide in safety or risk moving despite Bullet Bills that shoot through maps. Other maps will be shorter, meaning if you've only got time for a quick game it'll have you covered.

In terms of minigames, the usual blend of speed, coordination and luck will feature though others will use unique features of 3DS like having you draw solutions on the lower screen. AR cards are also said to be supported by the game.

Gotenks, that's right. In the direct itself, they said that there would be seven unique boards.

It's great that the characters aren't traveling at the same time, unlike MP9, which I personally, still enjoyed.Hopefully the luck factor in this game is reduced greatly from its predecessor. That's all I ask.

Also, I give up on the inclusion of online, so let's not waste our breath. xD

I was hoping they'd go back to the circular boards pre-MP9 with the coins and stars, but I guess they're really set on moving on from that style of gameplay.

I really like the concept of having unique boards though. One of the best things about MP8 was how each board had different rules and how you'd need to employ different strategies to win each time. I'm praying that they're bringing back that kind of variety.